Blood is Thicker

The air was heavy with steam from the springs, creating an atmosphere thick and humid. The vibrant green foliage that spilled towards the steaming pools grew vigorously in such ideal conditions and shaded the pools from direct sunlight. An idyllic place for a band of wolves to reside, and Larisa knew this; she had tracked the familiar scent of her family here.

Larisa had stayed put for some time following Manea's rise to the position of matriarch, but had eventually needed her own space to work through feelings of resentment and disappointment at having ceded power to her niece. She had never intended to permanently leave, and her loyalty to the Mendacium family meant she would always return to support her blood how she could. During her period of absence she found ways to repress her anger and replace it without outward calm and apathy. Although deep-seated feelings of ill-will towards her niece remained, her commitment to the pack outweighed her ambitions for herself, and thus she felt she was ready again to return to the fold and submit.

Larisa settled herself on the rocky edge of one of the pools, and dipped one of her paws into the water. She delighted at the feeling of heat on her skin, and melted her body to the warmth of the stone edge. Although she knew she should stay wary for the certain approach of wolves, she could not help but shut her eyes and relax instead. This was family, after all....